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DanoT wrote: Wed Aug 16, 2023 12:38 pm Not only is there a lack of QB depth in the CFL, the same exists in the NFL, hence their dressing a third QB, hoping no doubt to address a lack of quality, experienced QBs in the NFL.

Trevor Lawrence got to start as a rookie (I think) for Jacksonville and others have gotten oppourtunities early in their NFL career, again due to a lack of experience and depth at the QB position.

DanoT wrote: Wed Aug 16, 2023 12:38 pm Not only is there a lack of QB depth in the CFL, the same exists in the NFL, hence their dressing a third QB, hoping no doubt to address a lack of quality, experienced QBs in the NFL.

Trevor Lawrence got to start as a rookie (I think) for Jacksonville and others have gotten oppourtunities early in their NFL career, again due to a lack of experience and depth at the QB position.

Sir Purrcival wrote: Tue Aug 15, 2023 11:13 pm

Belize City Lion wrote: Tue Aug 15, 2023 11:54 am

Sir Purrcival wrote: Mon Aug 14, 2023 3:17 pm Players that come to mind for me are those like Marc Boerigter, John Avery, Casey Printers, Cameron Wake, Joe Theisman, Brandon Browner, Rocket Ismail, Mervyn Fernandez, Warren Moon and so on and so on. It isn't just the Qb that I am thinking about, it is an all position issue. I don't begrudge a single one of them for wanting to make their hard work pay but after decades of watching great players cut their teeth here and then leave, it makes it a little hard to get excited for the next great player. The excitement, the elation, turns all too quick to when is the hammer going to drop.

Cameron Wake was probably the last true "superstar" the CFL lost to the NFL before Rourke. That was 14 years ago.

Moon came to Canada because in the 1970s there wasn't much opportunity for a black QB in the NFL. After 5 years of dominating the CFL he could no longer be denied because of his skin colour.

The Rocket came to Toronto because Bruce McNall offered him the highest contract in the history of pro football at the time. $18.2M over 4 years. 1.25M more per season than Joe Montana was making in the NFL.

Theisman only came to Toronto because he wouldn't accept the terms from Miami for his $35K bonus (spread out over three years). So Miami hung on to his rights for 3 seasons before trading them away to Washington, at which point Theisman jumped to the NFL.

Fernandez is a good example of a talented player who was able to get an NFL opportunity after showcasing himself in the CFL. That was nearly 40 years ago.

Casey Printers was a flash in the pan who ultimately could not get out of his own way. No matter how romantically some Lionbackers would like to remember him.

My point is, the cases of the CFL losing bonafide superstars to the NFL is actually quite few and far between. Especially if you don't count the guys that came to the CFL for reasons other than being overlooked by the NFL.

You kind of miss my point I think. Why they were here, isn't really germaine to what I was saying. The point I was trying to assert from my original post was that players who do play as stars in this league and that included Printers up till he went down south, are constantly being drawn away by the lure the the NFL. Even if they do bounce around the league and eventually find their way back, at the very least, that is 2-3 years CFL fans are denied the pleasure of watching them play or as in the case of Printers, seemed to come back a changed player who never again amounted to anything significant. What it still translates to is that there is this constant drain on the league's top players when they are often playing some of their best ball. That tempers some of the excitement about top players because one immediately wonders if they are going to be around anything more than a handful of seasons. It also lowers the overall quality of the game CFL fans are treated to. Right now, our league is suffering from an acute shortage of quality QB's and a even more acute shortage of depth at that position. In part, that is because every NFL team as of 2023 is able to dress 3 QB's and that 3rd QB doesn't even count as a roster spot. How many of those QB's could be either starting or backup on a CFL team right now. Instead we are treated to the situations in Edmonton, Ottawa, Hamilton, and pretty much every other team that has lost their appointed starter, struggling to find qualified players at the position. We now live in a universe where Antonio Pipkin has some kind of trade value (not trying to pick on Pipkin here).

Toppy Vann wrote: Wed Aug 16, 2023 4:40 pm
To Dano's point after your post the NFL is also struggling with QBs who can be top performers and that rule change for 3 is not going to help the CFL in future.

Maybe someone needs to track and publish the success rate of those heading south so players can make informed decisions.
Rourke will likely stick but many others in all positions don't.

DanoT wrote: Wed Aug 16, 2023 8:52 pm What is NIL?

I googled it and came up with nothing.